1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for detecting the bite of a fish on a fishing line by monitoring tension on the fishing line and generating an alarm if tension on the line is characteristic of a fish bite. The invention relates in particular to electronic circuitry components which filter signals received in response to tension on the fishing line such that an alarm is generated only when the fishing line is tensed in a way characteristic of a fish bite. The invention includes a transmitting device for sending a radio signal when a bite is detected, and a receiving device for receiving the radio signal and converting it into a signal perceivable by a human user.
2. Description of the Prior Art
While there are various devices in the prior art for alerting a user to the presence of a fish on a fishing line, none are as capable as the present invention of being adjusted to distinguish the different types of pull put on the line by environmental factors such as wind, wave, and current, from the fish trying the bait. This is done by measuring the tension on the line.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,559,327, issued on Feb. 2, 1971 to Bernard A. Christopher, discloses a fish warning device, in which the tug of a fish on the line is detected by the movement of a pendulum closing, an electrical circuit, causing a warning bell to sound. It is distinguishable from the preferred embodiment of the instant invention, in which tension in the line is detected by a piezoelectric crystal. The instant invention is also distinguishable in that it includes circuits for filtering out irrelevant signals.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,258, issued on Dec. 27, 1983 to Bill R. Adams and William C. Burchett, discloses a device which uses springs to measure the force of the pull of a fish on a line, with different colored lights being turned on when electric circuits are closed as the springs are compressed to certain points, and a moving scale indicating the force of the pull.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,586,284, issued on May 6, 1986 to Samuel M. Westwood III, discloses a fishing line signaling device with a switch arm that frictionally grips the fishing line and is spring biased with a knob and screw to vary the frictional force of the grip on the line. It is distinguishable from the preferred embodiment of the instant invention in that line motion pulls the line out from under a spring arm causing a switch to throw thereby closing an electric circuit to actuate an alarm.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,731,946, issued on Mar. 22, 1988 to Donald J. Blythe and Frank E. J. Sams, discloses a bite indicator for a fishing line, with a piezoelectric strain sensing element that causes a light emitting diode to be turned on and/or an audio alarm to sound when the fishing rod flexes. It is distinguishable from the instant invention in that line tension is not measured, there is no radio connection between the sensing device and the device producing a signal for the human user, and circuits equivalent to those for the adjustment of environmental sensitivity, deciphering of the electronic impulses, and the encoded transmitting and receiving systems of the instant invention are not disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,678, issued Apr. 30, 1991 to Jeffrey A. Peck and William R. Thurston, discloses bite indicators for sensing movement or vibration on a fishing line, with various sensing devices and LED or sound output devices. Line tension is not measured, the radio connection of the instant invention is not disclosed, nor are circuits equivalent to those of the instant invention disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,223, issued on Feb. 18, 1992 to Tak Y. W. Chu, discloses a fishing accessory for detecting movement of a fishing line, where movement is detected by arms that pivot when the line moves.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,180, issued on Nov. 16, 1993 to Brian Foster and Randy W. Carrier, discloses a fish bite signal apparatus enclosed in a rectangular box that is clamped above a fishing rod. It is distinguishable from the instant invention in that any line movement closes an electric circuit to tripper an alarm and it does not include circuits for filtering out irrelevant movements or xe2x80x9cnoise.xe2x80x9d
U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,943, issued on Jan. 4, 1994 to Michael P. Ratcliffe, Ralph D. Ratcliffe, Timothy R. Ratcliffe and Wayne A. Ratcliffe, discloses an indicating device for fishing rods, which detects motion in a fishing rod from a fish pulling on the fishing line, and does not include circuits equivalent to those in the instant invention for filtering out irrelevant movements or xe2x80x9cnoise.xe2x80x9d
U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,710, issued on Mar. 15, 1994 to Joseph P. Mills, discloses a fishing pole strike indicator which reacts to movements in the fishing pole detected through a spring mounted probe, rather than directly detecting movement in the fishing line itself as does the instant invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,321,903, issued on Jun. 21, 1994 to Warren R. Ebener, discloses a device for signaling an increase in fishline tension wherein the fishing, line is clamped by a pivoting arm. When tension on the line increases above a preselected threshold, the line is released causing a circuit to close to illuminate a light The gripping force on the line is set mechanically using a rack and pinion gear.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,341,589, issued on Aug. 30, 1994 to Manuel Gutierrez, discloses a fishing rod holder and stand, including an alarm activated simply by a switch closing when there is movement on the fishing line, without electronic circuits to distinguish insignificant movements, as in the instant invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,726, issued on Mar. 14, 1995 to Lawrence Zepeda, Sr., discloses a fish bite detector with an oscillating arm that contacts a fishing line and activates an alarm when movement of the arm closes an on/off switch, without adjustable means for filtering out insignificant movement as in the instant invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,450,687, issued on Sep. 19, 1995 to Clifford R. Fox, discloses a bite indicator which signals motion on a fishing line by mechanical means, i.e., the pivotal movement of a line management device.
French Patent No. 2,472,916, dated July 1981, discloses an electronic fishing bite detector which detects movements of the fishing rod, rather than directly detecting movements of the fishing line as does the instant invention.
British Patent No. 1,596,260, dated August 1981, discloses a bite indicator for a fishing rod having a piezoelectric element in contact with a deflectable member to produce a signal when the line moves, but without the adjustable means for filtering out irrelevant movements of the instant invention
German Patent No. 37 07 988, dated September 1988, discloses a device using a piezoelectric crystal for detecting movements in a fishing rod, rather than directly detecting movements in a fishing line as in the instant invention.
British Patent No. 2 222 060, dated February 1990, discloses a bite indicator having a vibratable member such as a piezo-electric element mounted in direct contact with a fishing line for generating an electrical signal in response to vibration of the member. The instant invention is distinguishable because it measures line tension rather than vibration and has adjustable electronic means for filtering out irrelevant amounts of and changes to tension in the fishing line.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
The present invention is a device for detecting the presence of a fish on a fishing line, generally comprising a sensor for measuring tension on the fishing line and generating an electronic signal related thereto, and a filter circuit which removes signal components caused by environmental conditions such as winds, wave and current action, boat drift or snags. The preferred form of the invention comes in two parts: a detecting and transmitting, device which can be attached to a fishing rod, and a receiving device which also functions as a storage box that can be clipped to a user""s belt like a pager.
The tension sensor includes an arm mounted parallel to the fishing rod. The arm has projections at its free end for engaging the fishing line. The mid-portion of the arm impinges on a piezoelectric crystal or other device sensitive to pressure. The sensing device produces an electric signal related to line tension which is processed by the filter circuit. The filter circuit, acting as a bandpass filter removes undesirable component parts of the signal caused by environmental elements, and passes through a trigger signal only if it is characteristic of line tension caused by the abrupt pull of a fish strike on the line. The trigger signal is then encoded and transmitted as radio waves. The radio waves are received by the receiving device, converted back into an electric signal, and decoded. When trigger signal is received, either a buzzer or a vibrator is activated to alert the user that a fish is on the line or interested in the bait.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide new and improved means for alerting a user to the presence of a fish on a fishing line.
It is another object of the invention to provide a new and improved means for measuring the tension on a fishing line to trigger an alert that a fish bite has occurred on the line.
It is a further object of the invention to provide new and improved means for processing signals received from a sensing device.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide an electronic signal related to tension in a fishing line and to process the signal through filter circuitry to remove component signal parts caused by environmental elements such that only signals characteristic of a fish bite on the line are passed through the filter circuitry.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a fish bite detector which includes an encoded radio link.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a fish bite detector that can be adjusted to eliminate all environmental false readings from sources such as waves, winds, currents, and/or tidal action.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable, and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.